Gear transmission



May 24, 1932. G. H. cooK 1,860,017

GEAR TRANSMISSION Filed Feb. 26. 1931 ZSheets-Sheet 1 N w c P g Q J&

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May 24, 1932. e. H. cooK GEAR TRANSMISSION Filed Feb. 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zlmwmtoz 607f9e 11600 10,

Patented M '2 19321 if i i V i l i. T

UNITE-D es enonen itcooirfor SANTA ARBARAjGALIFORNIA GEAR TRAivsM ssroN Application filed February 26, 1931, Serial No. 518,539,

The present invention comprehends the bination and arrangement "of parts as; provision of a shiftless automatic bevelgear claimed. p g V, 1 transmission mechanism. I In the drawings forming part of this ap- In c'arrying out my invention, I compreplication likenumerals of reference indicate W 5 hend a transmission mechanism of the above slmilar partskin he several views'and where- 50 mentioned character, wherein ,use of. the in: clutch is only necessary when startingand Flgure 1 is a vertical sectional View showstopping and the necessity of shifting gears mg the mechanism formin'githe subject mateliminated under any and all conditions, ex ter of the presentinvention.

cept to obtain a neutral position. Figure 2 is asectio'nal view online k201i 55 In accordance with the present invention, gure 1. V j the mechanism has but one neutral position, F g e 3' Sectional View 011 l f obtained by use of a single sliding gear, and. Flgurel. i p j v said mechanism normally when at rest is in 1gure isa fragmentarysectional VieWof I 15 direct driving relation with the drive shaft g fly modified construction. 7 c I c0 It is an object of the present invention to B r cnteringfihto a detail description provide a ,shiftless automatic transmission of Wh IS re h 'WI1,'I desire to have it mechanism qwherein a, predetermined maxi- -1 111QleI{Sl3OQd'that the GSSGIICB Of the; lII VEIZllZlO II mum resistance of the drivenvshaft is capable de in e pr of a i le s oof being pulled by a direct drivethrough the: mati'cally' operable transmission mechanism, proper gear "ratio of the mechanism, while the Y fi mprehendsall 'Strllcany greater amount of. resistance oiieredby tules 'embodled in the Scope i thealopended] the driven shaftis automatically compen- C aims. c sated by the relative rotation of the gears of R f g the dr wings, and more pardifi t ti r V v v 3 j ticularly to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, 10 indi: 7' a More specifically, stated, the transmission Oates he ans iss n 3 5111] Whi h h mechanism is associated with both the drive mechalllsm is arranged! The drive shaft 11 d d i h ft b of proper ratio, has associated therewith a, conventional type so that'as long as the driven "shaft offers no of sliding gear transmission, including a" 3 more than a predetermined maximum resisthollow shaft12rotatably mounted upon theance, the mechanism rotates as a single unit fixed shaft-13. The shaft 12 is provided with with nov gears moving in jmesh. However, gears ll and respectively, the former when more than said predetermined maxi- .meshing with the gear lfi 'carriedybylithe, I mum resistance is offered by the driven shaft, motor simian, which ,is suitably I coupled certain gears of themechanismarecausedfio. with and forms part of the drivefshaftfll.

rotate relatively slower than thespeed of 'ifhegear-lfiof theyhollowshaft 12imeshes rotation of the drive shaft, until the exces' with a reverse gear 17 =$lidably mounted sive resistance of the driven shaft has been on thedrive shaft 11 and splinedtheretois a. eliminatedQ v J gear 18 havinginternal and eXternal1teeth-' The nature and advantagesof the invenl9 Qand'QO respectivelyr-jj The teeth- 19 are Q tion will be better understood when the foladapted to mesh with the gear Qlcarried lowing detail description is, readgin connec= the" motor'shaft j11 ,whi'lethe external teeth 7 tion with the accompanyingdra ings theL am adapted to mesh with .thereverse gear invention residing in the i'construction,,com [17 w njflus Of h latter de ired The sliding gear 18 is controlled by the usual shift lever 22.

The mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention provides a connection between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 23, and includes gears of proper ratio, so that a predetermined maximum recorresponding in number thereto.

' to prohibit the gears 39 and 40 of the'hub 38 sistance of the driven shaft 23 can be pulled by a direct drive. Any greater amount of resistanceoffered by the driven shaft is duly" taken care'of under any and all conditions.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the mechanism includes a yoke having a ring-like portion 24 supported between arms 25 which are mountedupon the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 23. Carried by the inner end of the driven shaft 23 is a plurality of radi-' ally disposed spider arms 26, which of course may vary in number without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of. these arms rotatably support a hub 27 equipped with a bevel gear 28. Supported by and projecting inwardly from the ring-like portion 2a of; they yoke are spider arms 29, disposed in alignment with the spider arms 26 and Rotatably mounted on'each spider arm29 is a hub 30 equipped with spaced gears 31 and 32 respectively. p r Mounted for rotation on the drive shaft 11 is a-hub 33 equipped with spacedconcentrically disposed gears 34 and 35 of different.

ratios, with the gear 34always in mesh with the gears 28, while the gear 35 is always in mesh with the gears 31 of thehubs- 30. Keyed upon the drive shaft 11 is the hub. 36 of a gear 37 which is always in mesh with the gears32 of the hubs'30. Obviously this arrangement of gears provide a connection between the spider arms 26' and 29 respectivelyonthe drive shaft side of the mecha .nism. I

from rotating faster thanthe driven shaft. 23 in the same direction. By reason of the construction hereinabove described, it will be manifestthat the mechanism when at rest,

' is in direct "drive, there being no other neusliding gear '18. The predetermined maximum resistance desired to be pulled by the direct drive, is accomplished by the proper" tral position than that accomplished by "the gear ratio between the gears 31 and 35, and

the gears 32 and 37. Gonsequentl-y as long the drivenshaft ofi'ers no more than the predeterminedmaximum resistance, the entire mechanism revolves f as a single unit, with no gears moving in mesh. However, when greater than this predetermined maximum resistance is offered by the driven shaft 23, the gears 39 and 40 start slowing up with respect to the speed of rotation of the drive shaft 11, and increased resistance will cause thehubs 30 with their gears to stop, or even reverse their motion with respect to the drive shaft speed, to a point where'the lowest. ratio within the mechanism is reached. Of course,

as. the resistance decreases, the tendency is again to the direct drive.

' As there is no piling up of inertia when drivenshaft 23- applies power, as occurs when car is descending a hill, a brake element 42 may be employed ifdesired to hold the yoke stationary at what cduld'be considered an intermediate gear speed. 'The brake element 42. when employed is associated with" the ring-like portion 24 of the yoke, and .oper'-' ate'din any ordinary wellknown manner.

In Figure 411 have illustrated. a modified construction, wherein the yoke is keyed 130.

the. driveshafti as. at 4'3, in contradistinction to the structure illustrated in' Figure ;1. In. this embodiment of the invention the gear: illustrated at 3.7 in Figure 1,.is eliminated.-

In this form of the invention v the different ratios of. gears32 and 4:10, and 31 an d35raf fordsv an advantage onone side Qf'the'spidera arms, providing 'a ratio between spider arms.- 26 and 29 according to the number of 'revolutionsv gears 35 and 410 revolve in opposite :directions; These'revolutions are causedby resistance between the spider. arms, and not by'motor .speed, -but the faster the speedof rotation of the-drive shaft, the fasterj the gears 35 a-nd-AO must revolve to maintaina given ratio. I

Itv is manifest that the invention provides a; transmission mechanism, which entirely 7 eliminates shifting of gears with the result-- ant difficulties frequently encountered, i as well as 7 the objectionable noise. incident to v the shiftingof gears in; present dayztransmisesion constructions, and that .use of a clutch 1s only necessary in starting or stopping a vehicle equipped with the present invention.:

@Vhile it is bel-ie'ved that from. the foregomgdescriptmn the nature and. advantages of the invention will be readily apparent-,

such changes in the construction may be reof' what is claimed. 7 What is claimed f is 2 1. combination, a

shaft, a; shiftless bevel gear transmission mechanism providingfa direct drive connecbetween said shafts and f including "a plurality of gears of relatively different-ratio drive shaft, a drive 120. sorted to when desired as fall within the scope mountedon each shaft,- a ring-like'member. 7

supported in spaced concentric relation about said gears, rotatablymounted intermediate gears supported by saidring-like member and constantly in mesh with certain of the aforementioned gears, similar intermediate gears.

rotatably supported by said driven shaft and meshing with other of the first mentioned gears, and a friction clutch member yieldably mounted on the driven shaft and adapted to frictionally engage the gear mountedthereon.

2. In combination, a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a shiftless bevel gear transmission mechanism providing a direct drive connection between said shafts, and including a" plurality of spaced concentrically disposed gears mounted on each shaft, a ring-like member supported about said gears, rotatably mounted intermediate gears supported by I said ring-like member and constantly in mesh with the adjacent gears on said shafts, similar intermediate gears rotatably supported on said driven shaft and constantly in mesh with the adjacent first mentioned gears, a brake a direct drive between saidshafts, and inwith the adjacent gears of said shafts, similar arms radiating from oneend of the driven shaft, and intermediate gears rotatably mounted on the last mentioned arms andin I constant mesh with the adjacent gears of said shafts, whereby said mechanismrot'ates as a j unit with said.shaftsagainst'apredetermined maximum resistance of said driven shaft.

In testimony whereof Ijhereunto' affix my signature. I r

GEORGE H. COOK,

band surrounding the ring-like member, and i I a clutch member yieldably mounted on the driven shaft and adapted to frictionallyengage the gear mounted thereon.

3. In combination, a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a shiftless bevel gear transmission 80 mechanism providing a direct drive connection between said shafts, and including a v plurality of spaced concentrically disposed gears mounted on each shaft, a yoke supported by said shafts and including a ring-like memher disposed about said gears, rotatably mounted intermediate (gearssupported by the ring-like member an constantly in mesh with the adjacent gears on said shafts,-sim ilar intermediate gears rotatably supported on 40 the driven shaft and constantly in mesh with v the adjacent concentric gears of the respective'shafts, a friction clutch member yieldably mounted on the driven shaft and adapted to frictionally engage the adjacent gear thereon, and a brake band surrounding said ringlike member.

no I

4. In combination, drive and driven shafts I arranged in endto. end relation, a shiftless bevel gear transmisslon mechanlsm provlding a direct drive betweengsaid shafts, and 7 including a plurality'of gears; of' relatively different ratio mounted on the respective shafts, a yoke supported by said shafts, rotat-- V ably mounted intermediate gears carried by I said yoke and in constant mesh with the ad j acent gears on said shafts, similar intermediate gears rotatably supported by one-end of the driven shaft and in constant mesh with the adjacent gearsof the respective shafts,- whereby said mechanism rotates asa unit with said shafts against a predetermined maximum resistance of the driven shaft.

5. In combination, drive and driven shafts arranged in end to end relation, a shiftless bevel gear transmission mechanism providing iso- 

